The KABATAAN Partylist on Thursday pushed back against remarks attributed to Senator Robinhood Padilla, saying that speaking out about social problems should not be equated with weakness and that Filipino youth remain resilient and capable of driving systemic change.

Kabataan Rep. Atty. Renee Co said it is not surprising that many young Filipinos experience depression amid what she described as daily crises affecting them — from challenges in the education sector to corruption in government.

“It is not surprising that the youth are getting depressed when they face crises every day, from education to corruption. Why blame the youth for problems created by a government that has also failed to resolve them? At least the youth are fighting back,” Co said.

The lawmaker emphasized that the country’s mental health crisis should not be treated as a purely individual issue.

“The mental health crisis is real. It is not just an individual problem. The government must address it instead of washing its hands of responsibility,” she reiterated.

Co also underscored the evolving role of the youth in social and political movements, saying that strength should not be narrowly defined as silent endurance.

“From past to present, the youth continue to redefine what ‘strong’ really means — from enduring a broken system to bravely fighting to change it. Recognizing problems is not weakness. Gen Z is strong enough to see that and fight for change,” she said. “Laban Kabataan!”